Inter Milan have a date with destiny
Inter Milan have 8 clean sheets in 12 Champions League games this season whilst only conceding 5 goals in the process.
Whilst everyone talks about PSG, Arsenal and Barcelona lifting the coveted trophy, Inter are there in the background - silently going about their business without a thought for anyone who doesn’t back them to go all the way. Because they really believe that they will win it and that’s all that matters.
Since they fell in the final to City treble winners in 2022/23, Inter have not been able to live with themselves. In their mind, they weren’t lucky to be the runners up and give Manchester City a great game - they thought they deserved to win it and since then there has been a monumental desire around the club to atone for their previous errors in the final. Last season, they were completely stunned to go out on penalties in the round of 16 at the hands of Atletico Madrid - a team that they had dominated across the two legs. (That can only be attributed to another case of Simeone black magic)
There is a feeling around Italy amongst the fans and the media that Inter have almost been physically and mentally saving themselves domestically for the latter stages of the Champions League. That could suggest why they have struggled for so long to pull away from the rest of the pack in the Serie A even though every man and his dog knew that they were the best team in the country. Now, only 3 points clear of Napoli in second - the title race is still very much alive and is by no means a settled score. Inter still have a relatively difficult run of games left as they travel to high-flying Bologna this Sunday before hosting two strong Italian outfits in Roma and Lazio.
But when watching the game yesterday, I was mesmerised. This wasn’t the same team that had been struggling domestically. There was no chance that Bayern were going to turn the fixture around at the San Siro because Inter absolutely played their heart out in a stadium which I don’t believe I’ve heard anything similar to, before. The noise from minute 1 to the final whistle was mind-blowing, the Inter fans did not stop once. There is no way to quantify just how important those fans are to this side - the energy that the team played with seemed to be as a direct result of the atmosphere that was created in that cauldron-like stadium. That’s the only way I can explain it.
The fans and the team feed directly off of each other. The performance that Inter put in yesterday was mesmeric and it was reflected equally by the Azzurri fans. Federico Dimarco said on instagram after the game, “These are the nights where the HEART of FC Internazionale BEATS” and it was evident during the game. Inter were so fast, so sharp and defensively so rigid and tough to break down. Bayern played a great game yesterday, they have every right to be in that final four but they were never going to beat that Inter team yesterday. Even with the record they had before going into the game - winning four times out of four at the San Siro, I didn’t doubt Inter once.
In players, fans and coaches’ minds, they have a date with destiny and nothing will stop them getting to Munich. When head coach Simone Inzaghi was asked about the possibility of winning the treble around a week ago, he responded by saying that Inter are looking to win the Quadruple - with the addition of the Club World Cup later in the year. That’s the mentality in the camp right now. They think they’re good enough to win it all and honestly, why can’t they?
Madrid proved yesterday that you can have all the attackers you want, it doesn’t mean shit if you aren’t a real team. Inter are much more than the sum of their parts. Look at their starting XI from the Bayern game and you might be surprised at the level of praise I am giving them, but my word are they a real team.
Inzaghi is a top 3 coach in world football right now. What he has turned this Inter team into, is nothing short of extraordinary. They are on track to win their 3rd Scudetto in 5 years and still have the possibility of the infamous treble which could then turn into the quadruple. They’ve proved they’re the best defensive team in world football and in Lautaro Martinez, they have one of the best strikers in the world who is finally hitting his form at the perfect time.
If anyone expects Barcelona to turn over Inter, they are in for a huge shock. It is such an interestingly poised game - best attack in Europe against the best defence. Two completely opposing styles of football but I imagine it will be a fantastic spectacle. In my head, I’ve given the Azzurri the slight edge over the Catalan club but it could really go either way.
Inter have just as much of a chance of winning the Champions League as the other 3 clubs left. The whole squad is fully fit for basically the first time this season and when they’re firing, I struggle to find a real weakness in that team. Let’s not forget they beat Arsenal 1-0 earlier in the season, with their B team.
If you were to say right now, you think Inter Milan will win the Champions League, it shouldn’t be viewed as the ‘edgy’ or the ‘dark-horse’ pick - it should be seen as the sensible one. They’re the most complete team that’s left and also the most experienced. Doubt them at your peril.
